Thoughts, comments and observations about the Chicago White Sox from the Communications Department.

Game 1

Tuesday, October 4, 2005, 2:15 pm

Pregame

Here we go! Less than one hour before Game 1. I am amazed (and pleased) by how relaxed our players seemed in the clubhouse before the game. Most sat and watched the National League game that was under way. Guys were laughing and moving around to stay loose.

Ozzie was Ozzie. His pregame session with the media went well. He did explain the "choking" sign he flashed in Cleveland. Seems he and several fans (plus the Indians mascot) were going back and forth with each other during the game in a fun way. As he was bringing El Duque into the game (about the sixth inning), the Indians mascot flashed the hex sign on Ozzie as he walked off the mound. That was when he made the sign toward the mascot and fans. It was not directed toward the Indians or their fans. Ozzie was very complimentary of the Tribe and its fans.

Buehrle

Mark Buehrle was next in the interview room to talk about tomorrow’s start (which is tough to do before Game 1 is even played). The first question was about his friendship with David Wells from when they were teammates. Word is the two have been text messaging one another quite a bit over the past two days.

Teammates

Turns out Johnny Damon and AJ Pierzynski were teammates at Dr. Phillips High in Orlando. Casey Harrelson, Hawk’s son, was also on that team.

Scoring first … Jose’s control … bunching hits together … who is going to come up with that big hit.

First Pitch

What type of response will Frank Thomas receive when he takes the mound to throw out today’s ceremonial first pitch? He was all smiles around the batting cage pregame.

Delay

Sorry in not being able to post for the last few days. I was very busy with that other job … preparing to host these games. Hopefully, the tough part of that is over once the first pitch is thrown, and I will try to post here before and after each game.

The White Sox have not won a home playoff game since 1959. Don’t we all think it’s time?

Go Sox!

Ron Vesely/White Sox

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27 Comments

Man, i can’t wait ,, they should start it NOW. lol… i can’t wait to see how our sox are going to do out there… Man it is kind of scary, but after i knew that the players are relaxed and loose, i got relaxed as well.. the fact that Contreras is taking the mound is also relaxing…. well lets see.. GO SOX, GO SOX, GO SOX, GO SOX….

Scott,
We understand that you are busy and proably don’t have time to update the blog. We are still here and we will continue to post. I really don’t think I like all this buddy buddy junk between Mark and Wells. Get your game face on and save that friends $h!t until the offseason. Too bad the Big Hurt can’t be playing today.

Awesome Game, Awesome Team!!
Great game Chicago, I knew it was in you to go out and stun the Red Sox right off the bat, first game and show them why we’re the best team in the American league……keep it up guys, I rushed home to watch the game and I wasn’t disappointed. Go SOX!!!

Man, they looked GOOOOOOD!! Clicking on ALL cylinders. If we keep this up, no one has a chance of even getting close. Would love to hear Pods’ reaction to his 1st HR of the season. THIS is the team we all knew we had..great pitching, small ball, long ball, all ball =). This probably sounds cheesy, but….I’m so proud of these guys and what they are doing for the entire White Sox Nation! -Dawn

Scott, this site has been a blast! Great idea…and I hope you keep it up next year with the SOX as World Champions!
What a great day this was for the Whiye Sox family! Can’t wait for Buehrle, Garcia, and Garland to take the hill and show the world how GOOD our pitchers are!

Speaking of pitchers…Read the comments on the Official Sox website by Ozzie & Marte…tell Damaso that it was a small MINORITY who were booing him and Ozzie. The rest of us that understand the game KNOW what his arm brings to the mound, and that makes us so much better! We believe in him, and I hope he has his confidence back…’cause we can’t win it all without him!

Let’s hope that everybody at the Cell gives him a standing ‘O’ when he comes out of the pen during the post-season!

A bunch of us from the Windy City Sox Fans actually made two trips to the park today. One to cheer for the Sox on TV for the 5 o’clock news and then after a couple of hours rest to the game itself. It was awesome standing at 35th and Shields watching cars go by honking their support at that early hour. It was even more awesome watching the Sox bats demolish the Red Sox. But the most memorable moment for me was seeing Frank Thomas throw out the ceremonial first pitch. My eyes teared up then. This has been one of the most memorable days of my life.

Yah, this IS a great a great website, and yes WE HAVE A GREAT TEAM. this team made us believe in them and they are doing what wasn’t even expected. this is the great team of chicago that will do it for us…. come on guys lets get the second one, and lets go MARK and lets blow your friend’s team up, lets win another big one tommorow. it was a great feeling down at the CELL. And hey we all Love Marte and Ozzie and those who booed and will boo are not SOX Fans, and if they say they r Sox fans, then they either either Cubs fans, or they don’t know a thing about Baseball… well i really enjoyed today’s game, it was the greatest all season long… well lets see what we r going to do tommorow, an dhey contreras did it again, gooooooooooood… GO SOX GO SOX GO SOX ….

Hey , a great homer by scott today, and what a day for A.J. all the guys came up great , and i can’t explain it by talking, well just look at the double digits on the score box and u will know everything.. oh i can’t forget it, i am trying to sleep but i keep thinking about the great win… what night to remember. GO SOX GO SOX GO SOX GO SOX… LETS DO IT GUYS WE CAN DO IT…

HOLY FREAKIN’ AWESOME! Today’s game was just awesome! The crowd’s energy was just awesome! I hope we get 10 more wins in just this fashion.

I had to drive into the city after the game & was very very happy to see the Blue Cross Blue Shield building lit up to say SOX PRIDE. I remember last year one of the buildings had the Cubs logo on it. Glad the South Side made an appearance this year. Hope it stays lit up for weeks!

That was something to behold. Awesome! Now forget it ever happened. Put the blinders on and get two more. Selective amnesia.

We lit Clement up. He is the metaphorical slop from which spawned a fearsome dynamic; Cubs and Red Sox overindulgent misery incarnate…So maybe that’s a little harsh. Clement is a veritable baseball magnet though. Please stop hitting him with line drives. I love that we got after him early (3 1/3). A defensive position is always less advantageous. There’s too much thinking involved.

The Brazilians refer to their regional brand of soccer as “the beautiful game”. That’s exactly how I felt watching our offense yesterday. What we saw, that wasn’t potential, that was mere capability. That was 1/3 completion of the primary goal. That was Anthony John’s coming out party. That was Scotty P. and some strong arm tactics. That was Contreras…Jesus Maria Jose Contreras. Contreras is Clapton and Clapton is God.

That was nationwide recognition though we’ve been here all along. That was one game…and that’s over. Let’s get it done tonight!

we are now done with the first game and i have a good feeling that the sox can and will go to the limit and take the title and what i saw yesterday was a team that was bound to be in the playoffs and boung to take the title

Don’t have enough time or space to express all the emotions from the game and this season in general. I have a quick question though Scott. Not sure if I was seeing things or not but during A.J.’s post game comments was he wearing and “Ozzie Ball” t-shirt? If so, are those being sold anywhere?

I’m just so wrapped up in all the glory of the game. I think we have tremendous talent that’s been overlooked. Top that off with the drive, passion, and chemistry we have, we look unstoppable. Now, I’m not saying we’ll perform like that every day, but, we looking like a team on a mission! I’m thrilled to be along for the ride!! -Dawn

Great game last night fellas. I’m impressed by the relentless intensity we showed last night, but think the degree of dominance displayed was an aberration of sorts. That being said, I do think it was an indication of what can happen when we play within ourselves. Two men left on base was my favorite stat of the night. Deadly efficiency.
Tonight is back to square one. Buehrle needs to respond, not to Wells but instead to Contreras. Jose set the standard and Mark must duplicate that if we’re to be successful. I can pretty much guarantee Mark will not have the run support Jose had so we need to minimize our mistakes.

Offensively, I loved seeing Scotty on the run even if he got thrown out. I loved Aaron hitting that ball over Renteria in the first. Not trying to do to much just playing within himself. We now need to split the series fellas. Keep that momentum flowing.

I also agree with kr-trepac (enjoy the game if you’re still going tonight) about the Buerhle/Wells lovefest. I know Wells is your buddy but for tonight he’s Public Enemy #1. The last time they matched up Wells got the better of him. This time it’s for all the marbles. Let’s eviscerate him!

You got that right….I think we can hit Wells…and I think the real Mark Buehrle will step up and take care of business in this clutch game. Also, just wanted to take a quick moment and welcome all the new names/faces here on the blog. Perhaps they’ve been here and haven’t posted, but it’s great to share this with more people. THANK YOU, SCOTT! -Dawn

I said it yesterday, and I’ll say it again today for tonight…If I were Podsednik,Iguchi,Uribe,Rowand or anyone else with speed and ability, I would BUNT every time against the Bo-Sox tub of fat on the mound in Game Two…Make him field the ball (with his bad back possibly bothering him)to throw you out…I recall when the North Siders did it to him one game at the Cell when he was(unfortunately)a member of the Silver and Black Pack…

Next,as to yesterday,how did you folks like Matt Clement and his White Castle pitching style—a lot of sliders that went a long ways out the other end…To give you an example of two contrasting pitchers yesterday,with the first 7 batters and 24 pitches thrown, Clement had gone 2/3 of an inning, given up three hits,five runs, a homerun and two hit batters…In the same amount, Contreras went 1 2/3 innings,giving up but two hits and striking out three… Hmmm, I wonder who was more impressive? Let’s ask the Eastern establishment press corps and ESPN,through

“Bummer” Berman’s interpreter…

Waddya say,multimediamonitors? Am I close to the truth,or just paranoid?

ptervgoi…good analysis on your part(Clapton is God? I thought it was Frampton),and you’re right…it is only one game…If the scenario is changed,but with the exact same result, I don’t think any one will mind…

That was hilarious, “White Castle pitching style”! You’re absolutely right though tomquaid. Let’s get fat man running from the get-go. We know he doesn’t give away any free passes, so let’s just take what’s rightfully ours.

That was AWESOME!! Scott tell AJ – Weird part of it was that I called the AJ 1st inning HR day before and people who knew were looking at me like i had a crystal ball – no sh**! (i knew he was due, pissed about the tough times past month and a half, and has the fire in his eyes). Anyway, most amazing ball I’ve ever seen played – LETS GO SOX!!!!! Today I am wondering how the guy I was headbutting outside the cell is feeling LOL- I couldn’t be better!!!!! Wells is gonna get his tonight!! The beatings will continue until we are WS champs!! CMON SOX!!!!

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